NOTE: These studies in apologetics are mainly a compilation from various
sources (notes from seminars, classes, etc...). If any of this material is
recognized from other sources please be sure and send us the reference so that
we can give proper credit.

I. The Central Issue: Humans Have Many Belief
Options

As we begin our examination of the claims of the Christian
faith we must first look at the need to make such an inquiry. Why should anyone
investigate the evidence to see whether or not Christianity is true? The answer
to this question can be simply stated: There are a variety of choices that we,
as human beings, have with respect to the existence or non-existence of God or
gods. Christianity is only one of these many options. In addition, the Christian
faith makes some unique claims about itself. For these reasons, it must be
carefully examined along with the other belief options of humanity.

A. The Choices

Humanity has the following choices when it comes to believing
in the existence or non-existence of God or gods:

1. Agnosticism

Agnosticism says, "I do not know if God or gods exist." Some
agnostics believe that it is not possible to know if a divine "being" or
"beings" exist. Their view is that one cannot know anything about these matters.
On the other hand, there are those agnostics who think that knowledge about God
is possible, yet they are not convinced that there is enough evidence to prove
the case. Whatever the exact position may be, an agnostic claims no knowledge,
one way or the other, about the existence of God.

2. Atheism or Theism

Contrary to agnosticism, which says it does not know,
are theism and atheism. Both of these groups claim to have knowledge about the
existence of a supernatural being or beings. The atheist claims to know that God
or gods do not exist. The theist claims to know that God or gods do exist.

3. Polytheism Or Monotheism (One God Or
Many?)

Those who believe in the existence of God must decide whether
they believe in polytheism or in monotheism. Polytheism believes in the
existence of many gods, though a polytheist may choose to worship only one of
these gods (this is known as henotheism). A monotheist believes only one God
exists - no other so-called gods have any real substance.

4. Pantheism Or A Personal Being

If only one God exists, then it must be determined whether
that one God is a personal or impersonal being. Pantheism (God is creation)
believes that the one God who exists is impersonal - he has no personal
existence apart from creation. Creation and God are one-in-the same. Those who
believe in a personal God make a distinction between God and His creation - God
exists separately and independently from that which He created.

5. Deism Or A Personally Involved God

If only one God exists, and that one God is a personal God,
then our next question considers His involvement in our world. Is the one God
intimately involved in the affairs of humanity? Deism says that God is not
involved with humanity. God started everything in the beginning and then backed
off from His creation. He is no more than an onlooker. This is opposed to a God
who is personally involved in the lives of the beings He created (such as the
God revealed in the Bible).

6. Unitarianism versus Trinitarianism

We now come to our final option. If there is one personal God
who exists, and He is intimately involved in the affairs of humanity, is this
God a unity or a Trinity? Is there only one person, or is there a plurality of
persons within the nature of the one God?

These are the various belief options that humans have. Each
human being will fit into one of these categories with respect to his or her
belief about the existence or non-existence of God or gods.

With so many belief options that are possible, certain
questions naturally arise for the Christian: Why believe in Jesus? What makes
Christianity different than these other possibilities? It is, therefore, the
responsibility of the Christian to respond to these types of questions.

B. The Christian Response

The job of defending the Christian faith, and answering
questions such as these, is known as apologetics. One person has defined
apologetics as "proving what you never doubted by arguments you don't
understand." This, however, is certainly not the case!

Our English word "apologetics" comes from two Greek words -
the noun apologia and the verb apologeomai. In the New Testament
era, these words meant "to give a defense or reply." They are found some
eighteen times in the New Testament.

C. The Job of the Apologist

The apologist's job is to remove roadblocks that keep people
from believing in Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, people grow up with certain
misconceptions about Christianity and Christ. These may include: Jesus never
existed; the Bible is unreliable; the records about Jesus have been changed
throughout history; miracles have been disproven, etc. These accusations must
first be answered before these people can hear the gospel. Apologetics,
therefore, is not the gospel but rather consists of answering questions and
objections so that people are then able to hear the good news of Christ.

1. The Goal - Bringing People To Christ

The ultimate goal in answering doubter's questions is to
bring that person to faith in Christ. We want the unbeliever to see themselves
as lost sinners needing a Savior. This is what the apologist is trying to
accomplish. It is not attempting to win arguments or to establish us as smart.

2. Defending The Central Beliefs Of
Christianity

The defense of the faith also consists of the clarification
of the gospel message and the belief system of Christians. There is a core
belief system that needs to be defended. These beliefs include: salvation by
grace through faith; Christ is the only way to know God; and the Bible is the
final authority on all matters of faith and practice. The apologist proclaims
these beliefs and defends them against attack.

3. Recognizing that the Attacks Are
Ever-Changing And Growing

In addition, each generation of believers must respond to the
attacks of their own particular generation. The attacks change from generation
to generation, yet the doubts continue to surface in the form of the same
question, "Has God really said?" This question, originally asked by the serpent
in the Garden of Eden, is still being asked today in one form or another.

D. Why Give Reasons At All?

But why not just proclaim the gospel? Why bother with arguing
with people and presenting evidence? Many would say that giving reasons for the
faith is a waste of time. The best option is to just preach the gospel and pray
for that person to respond to the simple message. However, this is not the
biblical approach.

1. God Gave Us Our Minds

The Bible says that God created humans with the ability to
think and reason. If we devalue the use of the mind then we are devaluing one of
the gifts that God has given humanity.

2. The Gospel Message Itself

The message of Christ is addressed to the minds of its
listeners. We must use our minds to weigh and evaluate the evidence concerning
Christ. God does not bring anyone into His kingdom by bypassing the mind.

3. New Testament Carefully Written

We also find that each New Testament book has been carefully
written and thought out. The arguments for Jesus being the Christ are not
emotional but rather are reasonable and logical. The expectation is that the
reader will be able to follow the line of argumentation and then respond in
belief.

4. Experience Is Based Upon Truth

While emotions do play an important part in Christian
experience they are always linked to a sound mind and sound preaching. Nowhere
do we find the writers appealing to experience alone as the test of truth (2
Timothy 1:7).

5. Commanded To Honestly Investigate

In fact, the Bible encourages honest investigation of the
message of Christ. When people have legitimate questions concerning the
Christian faith, they deserve to be given honest answers. We should not tell
them, "Just believe," or "You have to take it by blind faith." The Bible never
encourages this type of response:

Test all things, hold fast to that which is good (1
Thessalonians 5:21).

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be
ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is
in you, with meekness and fear (1 Peter 3:15).

This verse commands Christians to know what they believe
about God, why they believe it, and then be able to give an answer to those who
ask questions about what and why they believe.

6. The Pattern Of The New Testament

Furthermore, we find those in the New Testament giving
intelligent answers to the questions asked about Jesus Christ and the Christian
faith.

And according to Paul's custom, he went to them, and for
three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and giving
evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying,
"This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ" (Acts 17:2,3).

This passage tells us that Paul reasoned from the Scriptures
with the unbelievers. He took the time to listen to their questions and then
give them answers.

Answering The Skeptics

When Paul was in Athens, he went to Mars Hill. At that place
he gave answers to the honest questions of the skeptics (Acts 17:16-34). Nowhere
do we find him encouraging people to embrace the Christian message with blind
faith or merely upon some religious experience.

In another example, when Paul brought the good news to
Ephesus, he hired a lecture hall. Then for two years he taught the people daily,
proclaiming the message of Christ and answering the people's objections and
questions.

In the Book of Acts we read the following about the Bereans.

Now these were more noble-minded than those in
Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the
Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so (Acts 17:11).

This type of behavior - the searching of the Scriptures to
find out the truth - is applauded by the biblical writers.

II. Setting the Record Straight

Before we examine the case for Christianity there are a few
more introductory matters that need to be covered.

A. All Religions Are Not Ultimately Saying the
Same Thing

Though humans have many different belief options do these
choices really matter? Is it possible that all these different belief systems
(Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, etc.) are ultimately saying the same
thing? If this is the case, then why make such a big deal out of Christianity?

Often we hear it asked in this manner, "Why make such a big
issue about Jesus Christ and Christianity? All religions ultimately teach the
same thing. Was not Jesus basically saying the same thing as Buddha, Confucius,
Mohammed, and the other founders of great religions? They all teach that God is
love, we are to love our fellow man, and that we should give of ourselves for
others, do they not? If this is the case, then why single out Christianity for
special attention?"

Contradictory

The answer is simple: the Muslims, Buddhists, Christians and
other religious groups cannot all be experiencing the same God because the way
they define God is contradictory. For example, Buddhism believes in an
impersonal God - they do not separate God from creation, they are one-in-the
same. However Christianity believes and teaches that God is personal - He is not
the same essence as His creation but has a separate and independent existence
from it. There are many such examples of major differences between the various
religions.

Since the various religions teach different and contradictory
things about the nature of God, and how a person can get to know Him, they
cannot all be true at the same time. They can all be wrong, but they cannot all
be true. It is impossible for God to be personal and impersonal at the same time
and in the same way. Hence, to say that all religions are ultimately the same
shows a lack of understanding of these religions and what they are teaching.

Remember: The main question that needs to be addressed
concerning the various religions is not, "Do they contain some truth?" The real
issue is, "Can they save?"

B. Christianity Is Unique Among the World's
Religions

Next, we must consider the unique claims of Jesus. He said,
"I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except
through Me" (John 14:6). He claimed to be the exclusive way in which a
person can know the only God who exists. Therefore, according to the Christian
faith, any religion which teaches another way to know God is, at that point,
incorrect. This claim of Jesus does not make it true in-and-of itself, however
it does rule out the possibility of Christianity being compatible with any other
religion.

C. Jesus Is in a Different
Class than the Other Founders of Other World Religions

Throughout history many religious leaders have come on the
scene and attracted large followings--the Buddha, with his teachings on how to
cope with life's suffering, gained millions of adherents, Confucius, with his
precepts on how members of society should get along with each other, likewise
numbers his followers in the millions. The same can be said for Mohammed and the
religion of Islam. Yet, Jesus has demonstrated that He is in a different class
from these, as well as all the other founders of world religions.

D. According to Scripture, Truth Is Absolute

We now move on to our next question, "So what if Jesus is
unique? Does it really make a difference?" A popular response to this question
is, "I'm glad Jesus has helped you, you need help! But don't tell me I have to
believe in Him. What is true for you may not be true for me. It's enough that a
person believes in something but ultimately it does not matter what you
believe."

The Bible refutes this kind of thinking. It is
important what we believe. In the New Testament, it is always the object of
faith - Jesus Christ - and not faith itself, that is stressed. As far as the
Bible is concerned, correct belief is crucial. The New Testament teaches that
right belief consists of several things.

E. The Bible Encourages People to Use Their Minds When Considering These Issues

Though the Bible encourages people to put their faith in
Jesus, it is neither blind nor irrational faith. No one is asked to sacrifice
his intellect when they put their faith in the God of the Bible.

F. Evidence Is Sufficient to Believe in Christ

Finally, as we examine the case for Christianity we will
discover the evidence is more than sufficient to believe. When all the evidence
is in, it will be clear that the Christian faith is true--Jesus is the one whom
He claimed to be. Therefore each individual must ultimately make a decision
concerning Him.